Collision 2020 will happen, but online
Initially scheduled to take place in Toronto on June 22-25, Collision 2020 has been called off, but will still happen remotely and has rebranded as Collision from Home. The 30,000 attendees will be able to participate from wherever they are in the world, with keynotes from tech CEOs, international policymakers and global cultural figures live-streamed. The Collision From Home will be back in its offline version in Toronto 2021, but for now given the Covid-19 pandemic, the team thought that bringing tens of thousands of people from around the world in one place would be irresponsible. Even if Toronto has not suffered a significant Covid-19 outbreak, Collision wants to ensure that this remains the case. More details here
No E3 anymore…
E3, the world’s biggest games conference, has been cancelled. The Los Angeles event is the latest to be pulled amid fears around the coronavirus, with organisers and officials cancelling large gatherings in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease. Read more on The Verge
Google I/O scheduled to take place in Palo Alto has been called off
The big Google developers gathering that should have taken place in Silicon Valley has been cancelled too. On their conference website, you can read:
“Due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in accordance with health guidance from the CDC, WHO, and other health authorities, we have decided to cancel the physical Google I/O event at Shoreline Amphitheatre.” Read more here
More major tech events cancelled at home and abroad
Global tech firms Adobe, Facebook, Google, HPE and Microsoft have all cancelled or postponed major events. Adobe took the difficult decision to pull its “Adobe Summit” in Las Vegas initially running from March 29-April 2 and hoping to welcome over 15,000 attendees. In the UK, the FTSE-listed Informa has postponed several events in March and April including its Game Developers Conference (GDC). Read more on CBR
Public gatherings cancelled worldwide
Festivals, football matches and cultural events have been banned in many places. Here’s a look at some major events around the world that have been affected by coronavirus, including St. Patrick’s Day Parades that have been cancelled across Ireland. Read the article on The New York Times